Brief Description: Reports, letters, and literature of the Special Membership Division, documents reflecting changes in ALA efforts to solicit special funds, contains monthly reports of Esther H. Dixon, executive assistant at headquarters responsible for Special Membership and Endowment, to the Special Membership Committee (1929, 1931-40), reports on fund-raising meetings, luncheons and conventions, letters and literature sent to prospective special members and donors, letters to librarians with prospective donors in their cities, lists of Special Membership Committee members, special members, special member and donor prospects and friends-of-libraries groups, special membership pledge forms, endowment fund status reports, circulars and reports sent to committee members, The Bulletin of the Special Membership Committee (1938-40), correspondence, plans, reports on services rendered and annual reports of the Friends of the Library Committee (1937-40), and literature used to answer questions abound friends-of-library groups (1936-40), and Trends and Techniques in Fund-raising, (1938). Note: Early efforts by the Special Membership Committee were aimed at securing special members whose dues would help create and support endowment funds. The committee changes to the Friends of the Library Committee in 1937, indicating ALA's broader goal of promoting gifts and bequests form all sources (of which special members were only a part) for the endowment of libraries.

Record Series Number: 27/14/3

Created by: Public Relations Section, Library Leadership and Management Association (LLAMA)

Volume: 2.0 Cubic Feet

Acquired: 01/17/1974.

Arrangement: Chronological and by subject and type of material thereunder

Biographical Note for Public Relations Section :

The Public Relations Section encourages the study of public relations theory and policy for the improvement of public relations in public, school, college, university, and special libraries. PRS acts as a liaison between ALA units, and identifies areas of public relations applicable to the profession and disseminates such information (1).

The Public Relations Section began as the Section on Public Relations. A name change to PRS occurred by 1970 (2).

The Public Relations Section reviews the association, division, and sections to determine public relations developments and needs. It initiates and oversees activities and projects appropriate to PRS (friend of libraries, public relations institutes, John Cotton Dana Awards, publications, and public relations services to libraries, state libraries, and state associations). It presents and interprets library public relations to groups outside the profession, encourages the professional public relations development of librarians and related professions through idea exchange, programs, institutes, and continuing education, and uses media to aid communication about public relations theory and practice among library and library-support groups and associations (3).

Sub-Groups:

1 - Executive Committee (Chairperson)

2 - Education and Training

3 - John Cotton Dana Library Public Relations Award

4 - Legislative Skills

5 - Nominating

6 - Public Affairs

7 - Publications

8 - Recognition (ad hoc)

9 - State and Regional Programs

10 - Swap and Shop

11 - Public Relations Management [discussion group]

Subject Index

Languages of Materials